a corresponding condition. But in the course of time desolation gave way to improvement; the hills and plains were cultivated, drainage was to a certain extent effected, and with the improvement of agriculture there was a corresponding improvement in the breeds of sheep. He would first speak of the native horned sheep as originally known in this country. That picture [pointing to one] represented the old black-faced mountain sheep of Yorkshire. That animal had disappeared before the plough, and the farmers of that part of England had placed on their lands a much better kind of animals. There, again [pointing to another specimen], was the Dorset longwoolled horned sheep. Generally speaking, all the inferior breeds had given way to the better breeds; but here was an exception-the Dorset sheep remained, and the reason of this was that the lambs were produced two or three months earlier by that breed of sheep than by any other. The inferior Dorset sheep were preserved in order that the luxurious might have lamb out of season (laughter). They had no doubt all heard a great deal about the Welsh sheep [pointing to a sketch of this breed]; those sheep were fed on the waste hills of the Principality. If the hills could be cultivated, there would be a proportionate improvement in the breed of sheep; but as there appeared little prospect of that, the animal would no doubt continue in its present condition, and he need scarcely say that the Welsh sheep were altogether a naked lot (laughter). He now came to the Old Norfolks, the sheep improved by the late Lord Leicester, better known in those days as Mr. Coke. When Lord Leicester first began his career as an agriculturist, in Norfolk, he found nothing but sandy downs and a race of hardy and inferior sheep; but now the sandy downs had become fertile fields, and there was no part of the country which exhibited greater improvement, whether as regarded the cultivation of the land or the breeding of sheep. The sheep of which he had spoken had now disappeared, having been supplanted by the improved South Down of Sussex. Then as to the horned sheep. These were peculiar to the dry lands of England, it being on the moist pasture of the country that that description of animal did best. If the cultivator could get enough within five or six years from the wool and the price which he ultimately obtained for the carcase of his "old mountain wether," he was generally satisfied. He had now to refer to what were once the marshy districts of England, but which were now reckoned among the most fertile agricultural and grazing districts of the country: he referred especially to the Lincolnshire marshes. That county might be regarded as one of the best pasture districts in the kingdom. The sheep there were exposed to the eastern winds, as they fed on the low grass lands; and consequently the animals which were most adapted for that district were robust animals-animals which had a large amount of bone and fleece. He was able to speak on this subject with the greater confidence, because Lincolnshire happened to be his native county, and he resided there for a considerable portion of his life. The old Tees-Water sheep was almost a fac-simile of the Lincolnshire sheep. [The pictures of both were referred to in support of this statement.] There [pointing to a picture of a group of sheep] was a representation of the Merino.

sheep which were introduced into England by George the Third, with a view to their propagation. Notwithstanding the king's patronage, the farmers of the day would not have these foreign sheep thrust upon them; the carcase not being one that would pay, and almost the sole use of the animal being the production of fine wool, to be mixed with the coarser wools. There was a fac-simile of this breed of sheep on Exmoor Forest; and this suggested to him that though the Spaniard had propagated this animal chiefly for his wool, it might have come originally from the mountain. The Merino was a very hardy animal, its wool was remarkably thick and fine, and it was altogether a very respectable sheep (laughter). It had occurred to him that the Exmoor sheep might be mixed with the Merino to advantage; not that English farmers would consent to admit the Merino in order to improve their own sheep; but he thought their sheep would improve the Merino, by giving them more lean meat and length of wool. There [pointing to a picture] was a brown animal called "the Syrian sheep," which was a sort of Cape sheep with a long tail. This reminded him of a very interesting fact, namely, that the sheep of the earliest ages, besides being horned, were in many cases coloured. In tracing the records of history, relating to this subject, he found mention made of black sheep, brown sheep, speckled sheep, mottled sheep, and so on. So also in the present day, agriculturists sometimes saw among their flocks black sheep, grey-faced sheep, grey-legged sheep; while there was also an occasional appearance of horns. Now he felt that he had not said enough about the Merino sheep. The Spaniards and the Germans had propagated the Merino on account of the fineness of its wool. It is this kind of sheep that has been found to be most suitable for our Australian colonies. The Southdown sheep had been tried there, but had not been found to answer so well, because it was, in fact, a wild mountain sheep. In Australia, land being for the most part of little value, and rents merely nominal, an immense quantity of sheep were kept ranging over vast tracts of country; and up to a recent period, if the shearing from time to time fulfilled the expectations of the grower, he was amply repaid. Since the discovery of the gold diggings, however, and the vast increase of population, there had, of course, been people to feed as well as fine wools to be produced. In fact the people of Australia had already found themselves rather in a dilemma for want of mutton; and it might be worthy of consideration whether it would not pay some Australian agriculturists to come over here, and pay him (the lecturer) a good price for specimens of his mountain Exmoor sheep (laughter.) Now among the old English breeds that remain, there was the Dorset sheep, which was preserved, as he had stated, on account of the early lamb; the Welsh sheep, which did not appear at all likely to be improved; and the Scotch black-faced Sheep. This last sheep resembled the Russian sheep, and belonged, no doubt, to the same family. It was a very useful animal, chiefly for this reason that it lived and throve where no other breed of sheep could do so. Then there was the Exmoor sheep, which he begged to say had not disappeared (laughter), but, on the contrary, was as thriving as ever. Next there was the old Scotch white-faced horn, which, in consequence of the improvement of the black-faced sheep, and the very rapid march of the Cheviot sheep, was altogether out of date. Then there were the old Ryelands, natives of Worcestershire, Herefordshire, &c. On this subject he remarked, that it was not unlikely that the late Mr. Bakewell received considerable aid from the Ryeland sheep. Mr. Bakewell never explained to Eng

lish breeders the course which he pursued, as they could have wished him to do, by leaving as a legacy to future generations the descriptive art of producing such a newly established breed as his Leicesters. He thought he obtained them originally from the Ryelands sheep. In fact [pointing to pictorial sketches of Ryeland and Leicester sheep] there we have the portrait of a Ryeland ewe, and another of a Leicester, as first improved by Mr. Bakewell. I must say, I think them so alike, that I was about to say I see no difference. A representation of one of Mr. Bakewell's sort of sheep was given in the Farmers' Magazine, published by Messrs. Rogerson and Tuxford, of the Strand. Many breeders thought that animal-a ram bred by Mr. Inskip-an exceedingly good one, and many ventured to assert that there never was so good an animal before, and never would be so good a one again. Mr. Bakewell produced a particular kind of animal-an animal suited to his own particular taste. At the outset he bred his sheep for form and symmetry, quality of flesh, fineness of wool, but regardless of weight. After a few years, when he had arrived at a certain state of cultivation, however much he might be admired by his friends the Leicester breeders, there were others who did not view the matter in the same light. These persons did not feel that the head required to be made smart, or the wool fine, or the bone less; they therefore resisted the new theories, and, as is stated by Mr. Youatt in his book, Mr. Bakewell was at first unsuccessful in the letting his sheep; but in after years it happened that men's minds began to change: lest the whole cultivation should be monopolised by that gentleman, a society consisting of eight breeders was formed to obtain the first pick of his flock. In the fall of the year each of these gentlemen selected a male animal, so that Mr. Bakewell's sheep were distributed as it were over the country. There was another breed of sheep which he had not mentioned, namely, the Romney Marsh sheep. This was a wild, bony, coarse animal, and he believed it had disappeared. There was another sheep, of an intermediate character, called the Devonshire Nots, a variety between the Exmoor horned sheep and the Leicester, and a very hardy animal. This was found among the high hills of North Devon and West Somerset: it was an animal which was about half way between the highly-cultivated sheep and the mountain races, and, occupying an intermediate position, was exceedingly useful in certain districts of the country. He now came to the short-woolled sheep. A black-faced short-woolled sheep was found scattered over a great many of the southern counties. Here, for example [pointing to a specimen), was a black Norfolk sheep. This afforded an illustration of what he had said before with regard to the influence of climate. Here they had changed the Old Norfolk for the Southdown sheep in the dry eastern counties of England. Then they had the Southdown on the dry southern soils, and distributed over many intermediate spaces of dry and healthy sheep-lands-which the lecturer explained, grounding every argument upon climate and improved cultivation. The Leicesters inhabit the midland counties and intermediate lands between the extreme dry and extreme moist climates of our island, the long-woolled sheep being exposed to the colder aspects, where the short-wool or pure Leicester could not exist. The localities and habits of the several breeds were then enumerated by reference to a map of England and Wales, which had been prepared by the authorities of the Institution for the purpose of illustrating the lecture. In turning to Scotland, he would remark that such was the effect of altitude that he would illustrate it in this way, by reference to a hilly district: for instance, at the foot of the hill was to be found the cultivated Leicesters, then the mixed Leicester and Cheviot, a stage further up they found the Che

and

viot sheep, then the mixed black-faced and Cheviot cross, and next we find the black-faced ewe, and lastly the black-faced wethers, which it was said no weather could destroy, unless blown over by a tempestuous gale (laughter). Tracing the course of the different breeds on the map, he observed that they had here long-wools, middle-wools, and short-wools. The long-wools were to be found in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Kent, the Cotswold-hills, and some parts of the midland counties; the middle-wools were to be found in Dorsetshire, Devonshire, Leicester, Rutland, Nottingham, &c.; while among the short-wools were the very popular Southdowns, West Country-downs, Norfolk-downs, Hampshire-downs, Shropshires. The latter breed, he might observe, had come very rapidly into public favour, and he must confess that as an old breeder he was astonished to find them cultivated to so high a pitch, and carrying off, as they had done, prizes at our national shows. In like manner (and this is extremely interesting) there was now a new breed of sheep, called the Oxford Downs. Thus, it would be observed, were agriculturists in various districts endeavouring to propagate sheep which were peculiarly adapted to the climate and situations of their several districts. This was very important as bearing on the state of the sheep culture at the present day. The truth was that there had been eminent breeders of sheep as well as eminent men in other departments of industry; we have had our Ellman, Grantham, Bakewell, Collings, Culley, the late Duke of Bedford, Lord Spencer, Lord Leicester, &c., of the past age, who did their duty in thus handing down to us our present established breeds-breeds that have been cultivated from these indigenuous and mountain races here [pointing to the pictorial sketches]. This stage of improvement was received by men of the present generation, who have succeeded to admiration in carrying on this great work of art by propagation. Our country stands indebted to such men as Jonas Webb, the Duke of Richmond, Overman, Sainsbury, Rigden, Grantham, &c., for cultivating the South Down; to Sandy, Pawlett, Creswell, Turner, Spencer, and others for the Leicesters; while the long-wools have been remodelled by the Clarkes, Kirkhams, Casswells, Richardsons, Brices, &c., in Lincolnshire; and by Large, Hewer, Garne, Wells, Handy, Brown, and Ruck, on the Cotswold and neighbouring hills. There are many other breeders who had long directed special attention to the improvement of their breeds of sheep; and, looking at the transformations which had been effected, [here the lecturer pointed to the original and the improved breeds represented in the pictures], he must say, that if credit was due to improvers in other departments of art and of industry, equal credit was due to the breeders of sheep for the ingenuity and talent which they had displayed in their vocation (cheers). Much of the improvement was due to the Royal Agricultural Society, which had offered prizes for the best specimens of sheep. But let it be remembered, that Mr. Ellman took in hand the improvement of the South Downs about a hundred years ago; and Lord Leicester, Mr. Bakewell, and some few others, achieved immense success before numbers were at all aware what they were doing. This, of course, had a close bearing on the production of the established breeds of the present day, early corrections being thus early stamped by their males. It must not be supposed that the race of attempted improvement was all sunshine. He could give the names of a dozen or perhaps twenty breeders who had not succeeded, especially in the breeding of rams. It was no easy matter to blend science with practice. He had already mentioned the failure of the attempt made by George the Third to introduce merino sheep into this country; and he had recently learned, from the published report of an

Australian agricultural body, that its sheep-breeding operations had proved by no means satisfactory. He then proceeded to speak more particularly of the breeding of sheep. Adverting to what he had said about the early lambing of the Dorset sheep, he remarked that lambs were dropped according to the uses and requirements of the several counties, as regards climate, food, and after-management to be pursued for realizing in the markets, and at what age they were to be sold. The mountain races, of course, did not drop their lambs until the cold season was gone by, so that the lambs could eat the early grasses as they first sprang up. He had not yet referred to the Cotswold sheep, which was a magnificent animal [Pointing to a portrait, he said, That is a draught of a Cotswold ram, belonging to Mr. Lane, which took the first prize at the Lewes Meeting]. After giving some local details of this breed, he stated that the lambing of this sheep occurred about March; so also did that of the Leicester sheep; but he might say again that the period generally depends on situation, climate, and the supply of food. One important fact was, that at the present time sheep were, in some of the best districts, sen to market at the early age of twelve, fifteen, or eighteen months. Formerly, scarcely any sheep were sent under three or four years of age; and therefore the public had to wait for their mutton (laughter). The truth was that in many grazing counties it was formerly, and even now, difficult to provide food for fattening them in the winter season: hence, the farmer fed his sheep on the richest pastures he could give them during the summer months, in order that he might be able to send them early to market -in the autumn. Another very important matter in relation to the culture of sheep was warmth. He had before referred to this, in effect, in speaking of climate; but the subject of warmth was so important as to require special mention. On this point, he would read an extract from a lecture which was delivered by Dr. Lyon Playfair before the members of the Royal Agricultural Society, in the year 1842, the subject of the lecture being, "The application of physiology to the rearing and breeding of cattle." He must confess that, as a farmer and breeder, he listened to that lecture at the time, as no doubt many others did, with a predisposition to set down everything as mere theory; but subsequent experience had convinced him that what the doctor said was true. Dr. Playfair set out by saying, "It would be presumptuous in any scientific man, however exalted his rank in science, to endeavour to instruct an assemblage such as this, or to recommend illustrations in the practice of an art which he has learned in the closet and not in the field." He must say that that was his feeling at the moment. "But it may be permitted," added the doctor, "even to the most humble cultivator of science, to examine the practice which you yourselves have perfected, and to point out the laws of nature upon which that practice depends." Dr. Playfair afterwards went on to tell them, in regard to warmth, that it was up to a certain point an equivalent for food. He said, "The average temperature of the bodies of our cattle is about 100 degrees, or more than 40 degrees higher than the ordinary temperature of this climate. Hence there must be some provision in the animal body to sustain the heat which is absolutely necessary for the performance of the organic functions. The air, being so much colder than the body, must constantly withdraw from it heat, and tend to lower its temperature. Whence, then, comes the fuel for the production of the heat ?" What the doctor said was, in other words, that the heat required by the animal's body being 100 degrees, when the temperature was below that the exchanges were against the animal. If the bodily heat was

only 60), it must be made up to 100 by fuel. What fuel? Why food. Surely, then, breeders ought, for the sake of economy, to keep up the animal heat. The doctor quoted Liebig in confirmation of his views. "Were we," said Liebig, "to go naked like certain savage tribes, or if in hunting and fishing we were exposed to the same degree of cold as the Samoyedes, we should be able with ease to consume ten pounds of flesh, and perhaps a dozen of tallow candles into the bargain, as warmly clad travellers have related with astonishment of these people. We should then also be able to take the same quantity of brandy or train-oil without had effects, because the carbon and hydrogen of these substances would only suffice to keep up the equilibrium between the temperature of the external air and that of our bodies." Dr. Play fair himself afterwards said: "The only use of clothes, in the abstract, is to economize food. They assist in retaining the heat of the body, and render less food or fuel necessary for this purpose." To this he (the lecturer) would add another illustration. If a man who had led an active life, and had been accustomed to exposure to cold, retired from business, and confined himself almost entirely to a warm room, he would get fat, simply because there would be nothing to lower the animal heat. After the publication of Dr. Playfair's lecture, in 1842, a prize was offered by the Royal Agricultural Society for the best essay on the management of sheep. He was himself fortunate enough to be the successful competitor; and at the end of the essay, which was published in the eighth volume of the Society's Transactions, would be found the results of twenty experiments which he tried in animal-feeding, which confirmed Dr. Playfair's views in reference to warmth. He would not trouble them by entering into any of the details of the experiments, but he would observe that the experiments all hinged upon the relative value of the different kinds of food which were given to animals. For instance, there was a comparison between the common white turnip and the swede turnip. They all knew that the common white turnip contained a very large quantity of water. In September, while the sun was still powerful, he found that the sheep would thrive very well on a given quantity of that vegetable; but when the sun's rays had become more oblique, and the temperature of the atmosphere was considerably lower, so that as the animal inhaled the surrounding air the exchanges were against it, he found that the animals fed on the white turnip made no progress; the fact being that such food did nothing but just suffice to keep up the animal heat. At this period, however, that was about Christmas, came in the swede, which contained a smaller proportion of water. Less of this was required to keep up the bodily temperature, and with care on the part of the farmer, the animal went on pretty well till the spring, when there was no longer any difficulty. He might further observe, that he put eight sheep in summer into two pens, four in each pen, and besides giving them all clover, he supplied one pen with a pint of beans per day, and the other with a pint of peas. It might be supposed that there would be little difference between the two as the result of this variation of diet; whereas in fact, the sheep supplied with the peas did very well; while those that had the beans, like horses that were overfed with the same kind of food, soon exhibited symptoms of inflammation, the beans being too hot for the body at that period of the year. At the conclusion of his essay he said, "Thus, after many anxious reflections upon the principle' which 'science' has dictated, "practice" has shown it to be one of great magnitude, and to develop the mysteries of past ages by pointing out those elements of the vegetable creation best adapted to Nature's laws under the varied temperature of the seasons."

While he advocated warmth, he was very far from saying that animals should be shut up in places where the atmosphere was at 100 degrees, or where there was no adequate provision for ventilation. What he wished to point out was, that warmth had an important and necessary connection with the food which was given to animals. Having now said enough with regard to the breeding of sheep, he would say a few words with regard to sheep required as food for man. There was no other animal so important in this point of view as the sheep. Mutton constituted the grand staple food of this country; and hence, as he had before remarked, the improvement of the breeds had a close connection with the increase of population. The Royal Agricultural Society and the Smithfield Club had both exerted themselves in the field of improvement, by offering prizes and holding exhibitions periodically; and great success had attended their efforts. Similar exhibitions had recently taken place in France; but the result thus far was that the English breeders and graziers who exhibited sheep swept away the prizes, and, pocketing the money, walked away with it (laughter). As regarded the distribution of the meat, some preferred early lamb, and others preferred saddle of mutton with a black foot, and had to pay for the luxury; while others, again, having less money to spare, made a different choice. The whole thing was beautifully arranged, and the culture harmonized well with the variety in the public demands. Having been at Smithfield market early on Monday morning, he had observed that the butchers from the West End had the first choice of the market; then came the purveyors for the mass of the middle classes; and, last of all, came those whose business lay chiefly with the working-classes, and who said they must have a great lot of meat for their money (laughter). A very remarkable alteration had taken place of late years with regard to the conveyance of sheep to market, and the return to the seller. When he was a lad, living in Lincolnshire, his father's sheep and capital were a fortnight walking to the metropolis, and they each lost eight or ten pounds' weight of meat on the way. Of course no one got the meat that was expended on the route-it was so much absolute waste. Now, sheep were conveyed from Lincolnshire to London in a few hours, and within thirty hours after they

left the farm the animals were not only sold, but the farmer or dealer had his money for them, and could thus employ it at once. This was a very great improvement; in fact, one of the great facilities afforded by the railways. It was not necessary that he should say anything with regard to the dead meat markets, as they were all familiar with them. Here, again, however, was a comparatively new state of things. Meat was now brought from Scotland and other distant parts of the kingdom, which did not come formerly; and rapidly as people from various districts had located themselves in the metropolis, the supply of meat had followed them in the same ratio. The use of artificial manures had a close and interesting connection with this subject. By using such articles the farmer was enabled greatly to increase his growth of turnips, and before it was necessary for him to pay for the manures, he had an ample return in the extra quantity of sheep which he was thus enabled to keep and send to market. He must now conclude. He had told the commissioners that it was quite impossible for him, within a single lecture, to exhaust the whole question of the culture of sheep. The wool production he had not yet touched, and he believed it was to be entered upon by a gentleman from the North of England familiar with manufactures, who would take up the subject where he (Mr. Smith) had left it. The wool collection in the museum was by no means complete; and as he had before intimated, he should, after his return home, do everything that might be in his power to supply the defects. The great importance of sheep, in relation to their woolbearing properties, was daily increasing. Beyond our own growth the imports of wool from Australia, in 1807, amounted to only 245lbs.; whereas in 1855, the latest period up to which the returns extended, the importation was 40,810,137lbs. In 1833 we received from India 3,721lbs., in 1855 4,594,520lbs. The total imports of wool from all places, in 1855, amounted to 99,300,446lbs.

The lecture occupied one hour and three-quarters, the whole of which being given from notes, made it the more interesting to the audience. The lecturer concluded by thanking the audience for the patience with which they had listened to him, and on retiring he was loudly cheered.

Swine are filthy animals in the cleanest condition in which they can be kept, and emit an offensive smell that is very disagreeable to other animals, as to cattle, with which the nearest association is placed in the arrangement of being reared and fattened. The manufactory of pigs is best located in a separate position from the farmery, but closely adjoining it, as the purposes are combined, and require a juxtaposition of utensils with which to work in unison. The site of the farmery, and the elevation of ground, will very much dispose the arrangements. The piggery may stand in the front range of either wing, in a small distance removed, and with an open front to the most benign aspect. The walls of the erection being low, the position in front of the farmery will not much exclude the sun from shining on the farm-yard behind, and a space of twenty or thirty yards being intervened between the piggery and the front of the farmery, no inconvenience will happen from the respective situations. As in all cases of the kind, circumstances will direct the arrangements.

The exterior shape of the piggery is best in a long

square, differing in a third or fourth from the true equality of sides. The shortest sides are placed to form the back part and open front, the former being divided into a cooking-house, and sheds for the boar and brood sows; the extent being always proportioned to the size of the farm, and the number of swine that can be kept. An end door in the food-house affords a passage along the front of the breeding sties, and a ready access with food and litter. A front door in the centre of the house leads along a paved road between two rows of feeding sties, in which the bacon hogs are confined, in two together, and provided with sty and shelter-shed of the area of about 100 square feet. A light four-wheeled waggon of thin iron carries the food along the passage, and the swine are fed on the right and left with much convenience and facility. The two rows of sties, and a centre passage in width, occupy the length of the food-house on large farms; on less extents, one row of sties will be placed, and an end-door will serve the feeding and breeding departments. The front of the breeding sties in width, the short side of the piggery, minus the length

of the cooking house, extends to the open front of the whole erection, and forms a yard for store pigs, from the age of being weaned, till drawn into the feeding sties, according to the forward condition. Shelter sheds are placed along the side-wall of the store-yard, and low in the roof, in order to preserve warmth, that is so essential to the welfare of swine. The young pigs are placed in this yard immediately on being weaned, are fed for a time with wheys and milks, mixed with meals, and gradually entered into the food of vetches and clovers during summer, and raw potatoes and turnips during the winter. Ample litter of straws and chaffs is supplied to this yard, and the best is the strawy litter from the stables, which being warm in the dung of the horse, supplies warmth to the pigs; and being mixed with their saponaceous excrement, a manure of great value is formed. The refuse of the green vetches and clovers adds to the mixture in the varied composition. In this yard is shown the great value of swine, as manufacturers of manure. The green food of summer, in clovers and vetches, induces a large discharge of urine, which impregnates and renders soluble the woody fibre of the refused stems, and the straws that are used as litter; the cold saponaceous excrement is mixed with the warm fæces of the horse; while the noses of the animals being constantly employed in searching for food among the litter, turn over and mix the whole mass of substances in a very beneficial manner for the purpose of a vegetable compost. The yard must be frequently eovered with litter, and thinly and evenly spread: the different substances must be mixed in the layers, in order to produce a similarity of composition and condition in the mass when it is carried to the manure heap in the fields, and placed in the layers of alternate qualities. This attention is necessary to every preparation of manure in the farm-yards-a level surface, frequent coverings with litter, thinly and evenly spread, and a thorough impregnation of every part with the urinary moisture of the animals. If any part is seen to be too dry, it must be laid level, and covered with moist substances; if too wet, the dry litter of the stable must be strewed over the place, and each part of every yard must be thoroughly treated with moisture in the proper quantity. A regular attention will prevent any deviations from this essential rule.

The season of curing bacon extends from October to the end of March, and during that time there may be preserved two fattenings of hogs in succession. The pigs in the store-yard, that are of the proper age and most forward in condition, are placed in the feeding sties, in two together, by the first of October, and will be ready in the beginning of January: a second lot is drawn into the sties from the store-yard, and will be ready in March, which concludes the season of curing. The management after that time is wholly in the breeding-sties and store-yards. Brood sows are best restricted to two litters of pigs in a year, and an average of eight in a brood will afford a full supply of animals to be manufactured. More litters may be got in a year, but the vigour of the pigs becomes puny, and the sow is much exhausted by the severe employment of suckling. A less frequent propagation produces a more vigorous progeny; and not only in swine, but in every animal whatever; and if the system were adopted pursued, the result might wholly reproduce the animal organization.

It has been very satisfactorily ascertained that swine are benefited by cooked food in a very large degree; while other animals, as horses and cattle, show a promotion that does not compensate the labour of preparation. The physical constitution of the pig, and its delicate intestines, may account for this differential benefit. Bacon pigs are fed twice a-day, by break of

morning, and in the early evening before sunset, with cooked food, in steamed potatoes mixed with meals of any kind, moderately thickened, and given in a milkwarm condition. This preparation is done in the foodhouse before-mentioned, which contains the steaming apparatus and the meals in readiness. It is two storeys high, and the second floor is dry for the meals, which are kept there for use. The daily allowance to the pigs is ample to the full satisfaction, but none to remain in the troughs to become cold, and produce a nauseating effect. The quantity the animals can daily consume is soon ascertained, and regulated accordingly. During the last month of fattening, one daily meal is given of uncrushed grains, as oats and barley, and especially of beans, which contain the tannin principle, and impart a muscular firmness to the flesh, and the whiteness that so much recommends the quality of the bacon. This firmness is a chief point by which the flesh is judged.

Brood sows are constantly fed with liquid substances, as milks and wheys mixed with meals, which promote the secretion of milk for the hard task of suckling. Dry food for a time, after the pigs are withdrawn, much encourages the salacity. Weaned pigs are treated for a time with warm gruels of meals and milk-thin and warm at first, then gradually thickened and used lukewarm into a cold condition, when the animal becomes a gradual consumer of clovers and vetches, and raw food.

It is very advantageous that a few small pigs from weaning have the liberty of wandering over the feedingyards at pleasure, and to sleep and nestle in some chosen corner. A hole in the lower part of the gates lets the animals in and out the yards, in which they eat the crumbles of the turnips, and search for pickles of grain among the straws of litter. The surface of the yards is turned and tossed about by search with the noses, and a beneficial mixture is effected of the different substances. Pigs, in a limited number, are brought forward in this way in a very fresh condition for the feeding sties, and when assisted with light grains laid on dry ground, the full fattening is done as well as in fattening cribs. The meat may not be so large in quantity, but the quality is superior both in texture and firmness.

The mode of rearing and feeding swine now detailed may be done on any farm according to the extent, from one brood-sow to four, which will afford fifteen to sixty pigs yearly. The intervening numbers will fill the different extents of occupation. Every method must be systematic-large or small, the performance must be regular and orderly, with a constant adhesion to the rules that are adopted. The buildings must be provided, and the food allotted; the care must be bestowed, and the attention unceasing. From want of systematic regulations, there constantly happens desultory and languid performances, which fail to produce any valuable results, and sink into weak and unprofitable establishments. Swine yield more flesh from the food consumed than any other fattened beast: the quality is very nutritious: it takes the salt more readily than any other flesh, and, from the smaller quantity required on that account, the cured article is not so salt in the use as other flesh from animals. It enters very largely into the consumption of naval stores, and for domestic use the flesh is very extensively entertained both in a fresh and cured condition. No other animal food enters so largely into general consumption; yet in some few cases only has the manufactory of the flesh been reduced into system, as with sheep and cattle-food is grudged, and attention withheld, and the animals wander about the farmery despised and unvalued. No farm is established without an arrangement for swine, than which no animal will yield so much flesh for the food consumed, or is fattened with so little cost.

J.D.